Memoir of the early campaigns of the Duke of Wellington, in Portugal and Spain,: By an officer employed in his army — John Shaqi
Memoir of the early campaigns of the Duke of Wellington, in Portugal and Spain,: By an officer employed in his armyWestmorland, John Fane, Earl of
History
Memoir of the early campaigns of the Duke of Wellington, in Portugal and Spain,: By an officer employed in his army
Westmorland, John Fane, Earl of
Peninsular War, 1807-1814 -- Personal narratives; Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of, 1769-1852
invaders; but the movements which preceded it were far from being
generally approved. Great difficulties were indeed opposed to Sir John
Moore; but it would appear that in his own mind they were too highly
rated. He discharged his duty to his country, however, with his utmost
zeal. He died fighting to maintain its glory, and his name will ever be
ranked amongst its heroes.
Footnote 2:
One of the principal causes of the uninterrupted continuation of this
retreat was the total failure of the Commissariat in the establishment
of the Magazines which had been directed to be formed on the line of
march now pursued by the army.
During the period of Sir John Moore’s campaign in Spain, Sir John
Craddock had been appointed to the command of the British troops in
Portugal. Their number was small, and varied considerably during the
winter; some detachments which had been sent to Sir John Moore returned
without having effected their junction, and many stragglers and sick
from that army found their way into Portugal, and were formed into
battalions. The brigade under Major General R. Stewart was also
incorporated with the army under the orders of Sir John Craddock.
Before the retreat of Sir John Moore was known in England, a corps,
under the orders of Major General Mackenzie, had been sent to Cadiz,
with the view of being admitted as the garrison of that place. The
conduct of the Spaniards, in refusing to allow the British army to enter
Ferrol, although pressed by a superior enemy, made it necessary for the
Government of England to secure a point of safety for its fleet and
armies, before it could consent to the further co-operation of any
British force in Spain. It therefore required, as a condition to the
employment of an army for the defence of the southern provinces of the
Peninsula, that a British force should be admitted within the walls of
Cadiz. Much negotiation took place upon this point, but the Spanish
Government at last refused the permission, and thus put an end to the
proposed assistance of a British army.
The corps under Major General Mackenzie sailed from Cadiz to Lisbon, and
added to the force under Sir John Craddock.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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